Empty Hearts
by Xolmaky
Summary: In the darkness of a stormy night, Sakura is left cold and broken by Sasuke's rejection.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Don't go," her world was crumbling, "please don't go." She could feel her heart stop as he starts to leave. She knew there was a high possibility she would never again see him. She would never forget this moment. "Please." Her voice sounded foreign to her. Her tears were blurring her vision, "Please." Her pleading would not stop him from leaving her. The numbness allows her to feel no pain as she hits the ground with full force. Her knees are bleeding freely, her arms don't cover her face as she allows herself to feel the cool sensation of the wet grass.

"Sakura," the voice is becoming louder, "wake up, Sakura-chan!" The blonde boy is shaking the girl in his arms. He manages a smile as he notices her eyes begin to flutter. "Are you okay?"

"Sasu…ke?" Her whisper is lost with the echoing of the thunder. It had been a long day, and the night was just starting with a thunder storm.

"I have to move you Sakura. The wind is starting up and we need shelter for the night." His well formed arms pick her up with ease. "Don't worry we will find him in the morning." The sorrow in the young blonde boy was deep. He wanted to help his friends at whatever cause, even if he had to pay the ultimate price.

The rolling thunder increased and the heavy drops of water began to shower them. "Naruto." Sakura was sure it was he who was protecting her from rain. "Half a mile…south…hut," her words were shaky but understandable.

Naruto started a fire to maintain the abandon hut warm, they needed to warm themselves and dry their clothes. "Sakura you have to stay strong, please don't fall asleep." He was scared that she had hit her head too hard and suffered a concussion that could prove to be deadly if she allowed herself to give into the heaviness of consciousness.

Sakura's vision was still unclear, making out only the blur of a figure. Naruto. He had come to get her. She remembered that they had fought earlier when she refused to wait for him to go find Sasuke. They had gotten a report that said he was but a few hours away in the deep woods. They had come too close not to go searching out for him. "I need to see him, Naruto! I need to know why he can't stay with me. It is it so hard to understand that I can't live knowing that he is gone and alone. I love him! I love him so much!" Naruto had only looked at her straight into her eyes and answered simply, "I understand." Naruto had allowed her to leave, but he would always follow behind her. Both his friends were the only thing he came to acknowledge as family. He was going to save Sasuke if it was the last thing he did on this earth.


	2. Chapter 2

A ray of sunshine had manage to penetrate through the old wood boards of the hut. Her head was hurting; but that would go away. Her pain was coming from somewhere else. She had been so close to him; yet, so far from him actually coming back to her. It hurt, her heart ached like it hadn't before. It felt heavy, like a two ton stone weighing her to the floor. She didn't want to face reality anymore. 

"Sakura-chan! You're awake." Naruto's bright smile was covering his true emotions. Who would of thought that the blonde ninja had develop the best technique ever; to hide his emotions not only from his opponent but from his friends. She could never guess what was going on in his mind. "Come on, get up. You have to eat something before you head back to the village."

Sakura knew this was coming. "What about you?" She didn't really need to ask, but she wanted to know at least what he was planning. She sat up, and moved to take the bowl he was offering from his hand.

"I got these old bowls from that corner over there, it seems like someone had been staying here." He was not going to disclose any information regarding his mission to retrieve Sasuke.

"Are you going after him?" Her voice was still weak, and she could no longer mention his name out loud, the hurt was to deep. Her fingers tremble with weakness as she picked at the dried meat and herbs from her bowl. "He didn't listen to me." Hot water was slowly rolling down her cheek before she even realize what she was doing. "What if…what if..," she didn't want to say it.

Naruto kneeled down to embrace her. Sakura's pink disheveled hair was being gently patted down by his strong hand. "Sakura-chan. I have to go now." He could not say anything else to comfort her. He could not make promises that he knew he probably wouldn't be able to keep.

"Naruto?" Her eyes were glowing with the moisture of her tears, "are you my best friend?." Those were the kindest words she had ever said to him. Sakura had become the love of his life, and he knew what he had to do to make her smile again. It was up to him to fight for the happiness of this precious person.

"I will always be your friend, always." He could not say anymore; not that it hurt him. The truth was that his heart was empty. He could no longer feel the pain of her rejection, but he could feel the emptiness begin to consume his soul. His goal was to find Sasuke and bring them together, after that, it would be time for him to leave… forever.

Naruto stood up and grabbed his things. Maybe this would be last time he would see her, he didn't know. But he would forever remember her as she was at this moment, glowing in the rays of lights that infiltrated the hut.


End file.
